If you’ve ever bought a home, you know that amidst all the documents about homeowners insurance and how to take title, you’re required to sign a lead paint disclosure, especially if your home is older. This is because the CDC has warned about severe lead exposure causing a myriad of problems like coma, convulsions, and even death, while lower exposure can result in lowered intelligence, impaired hearing and other issues.

It’s precisely for this reason that three Indiana cities (Elkhart, Fort Wayne, and South Bend) asked for – and have received – grants worth $2.3 million to clean up lead from homes considered to be at-risk, to train workers in lead safety, and to develop public awareness programs about lead poisoning in children.

John Grant, director of HUDs Office of Healthy Homes and Lead hazard Control, said that grants like these demonstrate the importance of having healthy homes.

Each of the cities will be using part of the funds to clean up housing units: 350 in South Bend, 300 in Fort Wayne, and 140 in Elkhart.